Clogged Drain? Try This!

Plumbing Solutions of Idaho expert tips

Clogged drains are no fun. They can put a serious damper on your day, making you late for work or putting a hold on weekend plans. If the clog is near the drain opening, here are a few tips you can try to see if you can clear up the problem yourself.

1. Go fishing using a powerful flashlight, see if you can put eyes on the problem. If you can see the offending gunk, straighten out a coat hanger and make a small hook on the end. If the clog is fairly near the surface, you should be able to reach it and very carefully attempt to pull it out. If this isn’t immediately effective, don’t spend too much time in there. You may push the clog further into the pipes, and vigorous action can damage porcelain. If you’ve been successful at removing a good portion of the clog, flush the drain with hot water to get things flowing again.

2. Baking Soda & Vinegar FlushRemember that cool volcano you made for a school science project? Bet you didn’t know it would come in handy for a clogged drain! Just measure 1/3 cup of baking soda with an equal amount of vinegar. It’ll start to bubble fast, just like your third grade volcano, so get it down the drain ASAP and let the magic begin. Wait an hour or so, and then flush with hot water.

3. Put the Kettle OnBoil a kettle of hot water and flush it down the drain in two to three stages, pouring slowly each time and waiting a few seconds between pours. Hot water is often effective at loosening small greasy plugs, and can sometimes get things moving again in short order.

4. Try Some BubblesFor a clogged toilet, try pouring 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid into the bowl. Let the soap sit for a few minutes to do its work, and then follow up with very hot water and some action with the plunger. Dishwashing soap can be very effective at dissolving greasy clogs, so this one is worth a try.​

Clogged drains that don’t respond quickly to simple home methods may indicate a more serious problem. Plumbing Solutions of Idaho can provide fast, reliable drain cleaning to get things moving again. Give us a call today! We’re here to help!

By Tim Smith

Published: July 23, 2015

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